The commendable efforts of the staff and volunteers in Bradford libraries, toddler groups, and childcare settings were celebrated at the Libraries Rhyme Challenge Awards event held at Bradford City Hall this week.
The Libraries Service of Bradford Council initiated the Rhyme Challenge, urging children in over 240 childcare and library settings in the district to participate. The challenge involved children under five learning five rhymes with their families. Impressively, over 5,000 children and parent/carers in the Bradford district successfully completed the Rhyme Challenge, which spanned from September 2022 to April 2023.
Feedback from this year’s challenge indicates that parents believe participating has contributed to the improvement of their child’s speech and language development. Staff and volunteers overseeing the challenge in childcare, toddler groups, and library settings expressed that it was highly beneficial for the families they work with.
A panel of early years and libraries professionals evaluated the nominations, and the winners were announced at a ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Gerry Barker, on Tuesday 7 November.
Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “I am delighted that staff and volunteers alike can be celebrated for all the hard work and efforts they put into the Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge. The challenge is a great way to encourage families and groups to have fun whilst helping to support their child’s speech and language development, a pre-cursor for reading achievements. My congratulations to all nominees, runners up and winners.”
The awards were distributed across five categories:
Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Individual Award:
Nominated:
Annette Wilson – Play and Learn Development Lead, Early Years Alliance
Penny Brennan – Early Years Lead, Early Years Alliance
Liz Kay – Liz Kay Illustration
Winner: Penny Brennan – Early Years Lead, Early Years Alliance
Runner Up: Annette Wilson – Play and Learn Development Lead, Early Years Alliance
Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Library Award:
Nominated:
Burley Library
City Library
Eccleshill Library
Heaton Hub Library
Keighley Library
Manningham Library
Menston Library
Shipley Library
Thornbury Library
Thornton Library
Wyke Library
Winner: Eccleshill Library
Runner Up: Thornton Library
Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Voluntary Sector Award:
Nominated:
Dixons Marchbank Stay & Play
Fountains Church Stay & Play
Winner: Dixons Marchbank Stay & Play
Runner Up: Fountains Church Stay & Play
Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Childcare Setting Award:
Nominated:
Alison Mazacs
Appleton Academy
Ashfield Private Day Nursery – Stuart Close
Ashfield Private Day Nursery – Norman Lane
Ben Rhydding Pre-School
Byron Primary School
Dracup Lodge Nursery
Dradishaw Private Day Nursery
Fearnley Private Day Nursery
Feversham Primary
Hirstwood Primary
Lilycroft Nursery School
Miriam Lord Primary
Peel Park Primary
St Joseph’s Primary Keighley
St Matthew’s CE Primary
St Paul’s Primary
Tadpoles Nursery
Thornbury Primary
Tiny Stars Nursery
University of Bradford Nursery
Victoria Primary School
Worth Valley Primary
Wyke Children’s Centre
Winner: Victoria Primary School
Runner Up: Lilycroft Nursery School
Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Best Practice Special Award:
Special nomination and winner: Early Years Alliance Staff – Penny Brennan, Heather Robertson, Fiona Stocks, Hope McNee
